Pilot



April 16, 1929- T. BIRKENMAIER ET AL 1,709,164

PILOT Filed Aug. 19, 1927 Patented Apr. 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE IBIRKENMAIER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, AND ALFRED 0. WILSON, OI ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNORS TO W. N. MATTHEWS CORPORATION, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ACORPORATION OF MISSOURL PILOT.

Application filed August 19, 1927. Serial No. 214,034.

This invention relates to pilots or, driving heads and with regard to certain more specific features, to driving pilot-s or driving heads to be used with earth anchors,

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a drlvlng head which can be removably fitted to a standard threaded shank and nut; the provision of a driving head of the type described which Wlll 1o permit a certain amount of lateral movement between it and an earth-anchor through which it has been driven while still limiting this movement to a predetermined amount so thatsaid shank may be removed from the nut when desired and the provision of an article of the class described which can be easily and economically fabricated.v Other objects Wlll be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements andcombination of elements, features of construction, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the struc ture hereinafter described and the scope of application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of the invention:

. Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the driving head, with the standard shank and nut in position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the driving head, with the shank and nut in position;

Fig. 3 is a cross section, showing the driving'head and shank in position in an earth anchor for which they are adapted; and

Fig. 4 is a bottom diagrammatic view of the anchor into which the head may be driven.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 there is illustrated at numeral 1 a shank of the conventional type, threaded to receive a nut 3 at its lower end 5. Inapplie'd position, this shank 1 passes from the driving head 7 through the earth and has fastened to its upper end, (not shown) the wire to be anchored.

The driving head or member per se comprises a pyramidal shaped casting 9 with a hemispherical top 11. Centrally through this casting 9 is cast a hole 13 which tapers and terminates within the pyramidal portion of the casting at 15. Between the hemispherical portion 11 and the pyramidal portion 9 is formed a space 17 adapted to some what loosely receive nut 3 and hold it nonrotatably. This is accomplished by means of ribs 19 cast integrally with and between portions 9 and 11. These ribs 19 are arranged on three sides of the pyramidal portion 9 leaving the fourth side open to'enable said nut 3 to be applied to the recess 17. The recess is so shaped laterally by the positioning of the ribs 19 that the nut (a square one in this instance) is held against rotation. It is to be under stood that the ribs 19 may be arranged for receiving a hexagonal or other nut in the same n top of hemispherical portion 11 and cast integrally therewith are the two ears 21. These ears are placed in line with each other and immediately above a pair of the ribs 19. The shape of the tops of these ears is rounded to follow the shape of the hemispherical portion 11. The function of these ears 21 and of the hemispherical top 11 will be disclosed hereinafter. I

To prepare the driving head for use, the nut 3 is placed in the space 17 and the shank 1 (passing through the hole 13) is screwed into said nut until its lower extremity reaches such a point of constriction in the hole 1-3 that it cannot go further. The shank is now firmly fixed to the head.

The type of anchor with which this driving head is designed to be used is shown in Figs.

3 and 1. It will be seen to comprise a body portion 23, and two spring-gates: r-traps 25 held against said body portion by springs 27. These traps are so constructed that they will permit passage of the driving head when it moves in the direction shown by the arrow (Fig. 3) but, after it has passed through, the hemispherical portion or (as it may now be termed) shoulder prevents said driving head from moving in a reverse direction. In this fashion the shank 1 is anchored.

Between the spring-traps 25 is formed a centrally located hole 29 and two slots 31. The hole 29 fulfills a double purpose; that of centrally locating the driving head as it is driven in in establishing the anchorage, and, with a sprocket 26, that of holding the hemispherical shoulder 11 of the driving head so as to establish a ball-and-socket joint, enabling the shank 1 to move somewhat universally in all directions without carryine with it the anchonproper 23. The bottom or the traps 25 are shaped as a hollow spherical socket. The slots 31 are designed to receive the ears 21 loosely, preventing the driving head from turning and coming ed the shank and at the same time permitting the desired ball-and-socket action described above. The cooperation of the slots31 and ears 21 also permits removal of the shank 1 by unscrewing from the nut 3, the'latter being held by the pilot which is prevented from turning by the cooperation between ears 21 and slots or grooves .31.

Some of the advantages of this pilot are that it carriesno threads itself, so that it may be readily accommodated to various types and sizes of shank threads. Each shank ordinarily carries its own nut when delivered, so that this pilotis applicable to any shank, within the range of sizes for which it is made. Several sizes of nuts may be held without turning within the recess of the pilot.

Another advantage is that the shank 1 may be retrieved after use without digging up the anchor.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in carry ing outthe above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim;

1. The combination of a pilot and anchor therewith comprising a pointed driving head removably fastened to a shank and adapted to be driven through the earth, hinged traps on the anchor for permitting one-way pas sage of the headtheret'hrough a recess formed in said traps, a shoulder on the pilot adapted to seat in said recess for at least some movement and cooperating means between the shoulder and recess for preventing substantial turning movement of the shoulder in the V 2. A pilot comprising a pointed portion and a holding portion spaced apart by ribs and adapted to :removably receive any one of a plurality of nutstherebetween and hold said nuts non-rotatably, said holding and said pointed portions being formed to loosely 'receive any one of a number of threaded shanks and to align said shank with said positioned nut for threading into said nut.

3. A pilot comprising a point and a shoulder, said members being spaced apart by ribs adaptedto removably receive any one of a plurality ot nuts therebetween and hold said nut non-rotatably, said point and'said shoulder beingformed to loosely receive any one of a number of threaded shanks and alignsaid shank with said nut in its unrotatable position and means on the'surface of the shoulder adapted to engage recessed means in an engaging surface on an earth anchor, whereby the shank may be unscrewed from said 'nutai'ter sinking ofthe pilotwith an anchor. v

4. The pilot comprising a driving member.

means for holding any one of a plurality of nuts in non-rotatable relationshiptherewith. said member being formed to receive any proper one of a'plurality of threaded shanks tor threading into said nut, whereby one size of pilot may be applied to any one of a plurality of standardized nut and shank pairs without change in form of any piece. 5. The pilot comprising a driving member, means for placing any one of aplurality of nuts in removable non-rotatable relation therewith, said member being formed to receive any proper one a plurality of threaded shanks for threading into said nut, any shank and nut when applied together in said memberbeing so arranged with respect to said'membe r'that the three pieces are mutually interlocked until said shank and nut are unscrewed; V v a In testimony whereof. we have signed our names to this specification this 18thda'y of J nly and 15th day of August, 1927.

THEODORE BIRKENMAIER. ALFRED O. WILSON. 

